A New Promise
by NecroLiv01
Summary: Happy Birthday, Dewi-Michelle! As asked, an Ayumi x Yoshiki one-shot :) A series of flashbacks leading up to a whole new promise!


**Author's Note: Hi everyone! This is an Ayumi x Yoshiki one-shot made for Dewi**-**Michelle's birthday! :) It's a little late, but better late than never!**

**There are a number of flashbacks in this story, so the line-breaks are there to distinguish the past from the present. If you still have trouble following, the flashbacks are all written in Italics. **

**I also want to mention that, if you are one of those people who like to hear mood-music to go with your reading (like me!), I have a few songs to go with this story. I will put the name of the song and artist in bold before the scene begins. (Ex: [Song Name - Artist])**

* * *

Ayumi stood in front of the full-length mirror, but she paid no attention to her reflection. Instead, she was lost in thought, a million things and memories running through her mind.

"Shinozaki?"

Ayumi turned to find Naomi coming into the room, a mischievous smile on her face. For a moment, Ayumi thought it was time and her heart began to beat hard in her chest, her palms going sweaty. She was going to ask if it was time, but when she opened her mouth, she asked what she was really wondering: "Do you think I can do this?"

Naomi, now at Ayumi's side, gasped, grabbing Shinozaki's arm and guiding her to one of the chairs in the room. "Of course you can. That's why we're here," she murmured, sitting Ayumi down. "We know you're the only person who can get it done."

Ayumi laughed at the inside joke, but it was short-lived. Her mind came back to the present and she felt her pulse race. "Yeah… I can do this…right?"

Naomi laughed, but before she could reply, the door opened and a woman poked her head in. "Naomi? We need you."

"Be there in a sec," Naomi replied. As the woman shut the door, Nakashima turned back to Ayumi. "What do you have to lose?" Naomi asked before walking to the door. Just before she opened it, though, she turned back around. "Better yet, what do you have to _gain_?"

As soon as the words left her lips, it was like Ayumi was transported back in time, her memories gaining all of her attention…

* * *

**[Still Into You - Paramore]**

_"I'm not sure I have _that _much standing with the dean, but I'll try my best," Ayumi told a group of freshman before waving goodbye. They knew she was an outstanding student on campus and wanted her to get them better housing._

_ As she rounded the corner of the English building, a large pair of arms wrapped around her, pulling her up and off the ground. She let out a squeak of surprise, looking down to find Yoshiki's smiling face._

_ "Kishinuma-kun!" she exclaimed, smacking his shoulders. "What do you think you're doing?! Put me down!"_

_ Yoshiki laughed as he set her down on the ground. "Ah, Shinozaki, don't be so uptight."_

_ "Uptight?!"_

_ The smile wiped off of Kishinuma's face as Ayumi glared at him. "Did I say uptight? I meant adorable…" Shinozaki smiled up at him. "…when you're sleeping."_

_ Without missing a beat, Ayumi came forward and stomped on Yoshiki's foot. He let out a howl before grabbing his hurt foot, jumping up and down on the other. "And you are just _so _cute when you're in pain."_

_ "Okay, okay!" Yoshiki exclaimed, standing on two feet again. "I get it. I'm sorry."_

_ Shinozaki nodded. "Kishinuma-kun, what are you doing here? You know I have class…"_

_ Kishinuma came forward and grabbed Ayumi's hand, looking into her eyes. "I came to ask you if you wanted to play hooky with me."_

_ Ayumi sighed, shaking her head. "I told you already, I can't skip class. Not if I want to maintain my perfect grade-point average."_

_ "One day isn't going to hurt it and you know it."_

_ "I don't know…" Shinozaki murmured, looking at the ground and thinking it over. "I could miss something important."_

_ Yoshiki put two fingers under Ayumi's chin, tilting her head so that she was looking back up at him. "You could miss something important if you don't come with me." The serious look on his face was out of place; Kishinuma was usually so casual and carefree. It made Ayumi seriously give his plan some thought and she quickly came to a conclusion._

_ "Okay, we can go…"_

_ With that, Yoshiki scooped Shinozaki up in his arms, letting out a victory yell before taking off to the parking lot._

* * *

As soon as the flashback was over, another memory took its place:

**[The Only Exception - Paramore]**

_Ayumi was running. Running and running and running, never paying attention to her surroundings. It was all she could do to keep the pain away, to function in the world. She wondered how long she'd been running – she'd started mid-afternoon and the sun was now starting to set – but she didn't feel fatigued._

_ She was in an old field that no one visited anymore, going in circles. It was the only place she could think of that she could run all she wanted and no one would think she was crazy. It also happened to be one of the places she and her friends – _all _of them – had hung out…which only made her feel worse._

_ Shinohara, Morishige, Mayu…they'd never walk here again._

_ Shinozaki suddenly stepped in a hole, causing her to trip and fall on the ground. Dirt went in her mouth as she slid, turning to mud. She spit as much of it out as possible before turning on her back and looking up into the sky. She stayed like that for a while, crying as the skinned spots on her hands and knees – and her heart – throbbed._

_ She'd just found out that Satoshi and Naomi were dating. Although nothing really romantic had ever happened between her and Mochida, she'd always really liked him…and she thought that he'd maybe liked her back. But she was wrong._

_ Ayumi hadn't laid there long before she heard footsteps. She wanted to know who was coming, but she just couldn't bring herself to sit up. She probably looked like a mess, all covered in dirt and red-faced, but she didn't care._

_ When they got close enough, Ayumi turned her head in the footsteps' direction and sighed. It was Kishinuma. Great._

_ Although she knew Yoshiki never meant any harm, he always said the wrong thing and she didn't want to deal with that at the moment. For the life of her, though, she couldn't make herself say anything to him._

_ He locked eyes with her and she expected him to say something, but he didn't, surprising her. Looking back at him, she noticed that he looked upset, but she couldn't think of a reason why he would be. When she realized they'd been staring at each other for far too long, she blushed and looked away, glancing back up at the sky._

_ Ayumi heard Yoshiki's movements as he sat down next to her in the grass and laid back. She constantly expected him to say something, but he never made a sound. Soon, in the silence, it was easy for her to forget he was there and her mind drifted back to earlier, when she found out the news about Naomi and Satoshi. Slowly, the tears ran down her face again._

_ She didn't realize it, but she let out a low whimper as she closed her eyes. In response, Kishinuma reached out and took her hand, still silent. Ayumi opened her eyes, surprised, and looked down at their intertwined hands before exchanging glances with him. Yes, she was right before, he _was _upset about something – she could see it in his eyes._

_ "K-Kishinuma-kun…" she whispered, her nose stopped up from crying. "What's wrong?"_

_ He frowned, looking right into her eyes. "I just heard the news."_

_ "The news?" Ayumi repeated, confused. "What news?"_

_ This time, Yoshiki looked away, his expression conflicted. His eyebrows furrowed as he thought for a moment and then he murmured, "About Naomi…and Mochida."_

_ Shinozaki sat straight up, eyes going wide as she pulled her hand out of Kishinuma's grasp. "What do you mean? What's wrong?" Kishinuma gave her a knowing stare and Ayumi put her face in her hands in response, sobbing again. She spoke, but it came out muffled through her hands, "God, was I really so obvious?! Did _everyone _notice?"_

_ "Well…everyone but Mochida," came Yoshiki's answer, which only made Ayumi cry harder. Flustered, Yoshiki quickly came to kneel in front of Shinozaki, his hands flailing in front of her. He had no idea what to do in a situation like this, but he knew he couldn't leave Ayumi alone. Not while she was in such distress. "I-I'm sorry, Shinozaki. I didn't mean…"_

_ When his arms wrapped around her, Ayumi gasped in surprise, but she didn't move away from him. His embrace immediately caused a flashback to fly before her eyes, taking her back to that awful school where so many of her loved ones had died. How odd she thought it was that she couldn't let Kishinuma give her a hug in that place, when such horrors were happening, but she could when it came to her heart._

_ Her arms came up of their own volition to wrap around Yoshiki, pulling him close to her. She buried her face in the nook of his shoulder and cried, realizing just how comforting a warm body could be when she hurt so bad. Yoshiki must have been surprised because he just held her in his arms for a long time, never making a sound. Every now and then, he'd rub her back or stroke her hair and, strangely, it made Ayumi feel…loved._

_ When she felt that she'd cried all she could, Ayumi pulled away from Kishinuma, not because she didn't want to be in his arms anymore, but because she wanted to look at him. "How did you know where I was?"_

_ Yoshiki's hand went up to the back of his head, his eyes glancing at the ground as he thought. "Well…um, I went by your house and you weren't there. So I went to just about every place I could think of, looking for you. And I found you here."_

_ "You went to my house?" she asked, perplexed. "Why?"_

_ "I told you," he murmured, looking back into her eyes. "I was worried about you." Ayumi opened her mouth to protest, but Kishinuma brought up a hand to silence her. "Listen, Shinozaki, I know you. After everything we've been through, I probably know you better than anyone else does. You're strong, yes, but…you don't have to handle everything all by yourself."_

_ Ayumi looked at the ground, her brows furrowing as she thought about what he said. "But I _do_," she whispered, feeling defeated. "I don't have anyone else. I have to be there for the others."_

_ "Ayumi."_

_ This caused Shinozaki to look up. Yoshiki _never _called her by her first name, so she knew he was serious. When she locked eyes with him again, he continued, "You don't have anyone else? Am I not sitting here in front of you?"_

_ "But…Kishinuma-kun…"_

_ Yoshiki ignored her, continuing on. "God, you really have no idea, do you?"_

_ Shinozaki had no idea what to say. What was he talking about? Before she could say anything, Kishinuma stood up with a groan before he started to pace. He mumbled a few things to himself, but Ayumi couldn't hear what he was saying. She sat there, watching him pace as he gathered his thoughts, still having no idea what to do._

_ Finally, he stopped pacing and turned back to face her. "I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to do it, okay? I just…" He stopped, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, a look of pain flashed across his for only a moment before he blurted out, "I would do _anything _for you, Shinozaki. You have no idea how much you mean to me._

_ "I'd pretty much given up on the world, you know? Nothing was going my way, not at home and sure as hell not at school. And when Tsubota mentioned dropping out of school, I seriously thought about doing it. Hell, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of that sooner! But then you walked in…and…"_

_ Yoshiki let his words trail off as he walked back to Ayumi, dropping back down to his knees in front of her. "If you hadn't, I probably never would have been transported to Heavenly Host." When he spoke the words, Ayumi felt another little piece of her heart crack as tears sprang to her eyes. Yoshiki reached out and wiped one out from under her eye, letting his hand rest there afterward. "But I also never would have been there to help you. I keep thinking back to that moment when you were possessed and I can't help but feel like you wouldn't be here if…if it weren't for me."_

_ Shinozaki didn't bother to hide her tears as they fell. Instead, she looked right into Kishinuma's eyes, praying that she could see honesty in them. "Why are you telling me this?" She didn't really need to ask the question – deep down, she knew why, but her mind couldn't think of it as true._

_ Yoshiki smiled at her, making his eyes light up. Bringing his other hand up to cup the other side of her face, he breathed, "Because you need to know that I'd rather be dead than live in a world without you."_

_Ayumi could've stopped the kiss before it had even begun, but she didn't and she honestly didn't know why. Maybe it had something to do with the look on his face and the way he was looking at her, as if she were a bright light in an eternity of darkness. Maybe it was that he'd just proclaimed his love for her, in as many words, but she just didn't know. And, surprisingly…she didn't care._

_ The world became white as Yoshiki's lips came down on hers and her entire body felt warm. Her heart was racing in her chest, causing her hands to shake as she wrapped her fingers in Yoshiki's light hair, pulling him close. She'd never, _ever _kissed a boy like this before, but her body seemed to know what to do instinctually. Her lips moved in time with his and time ceased to exist for the pair…_

_ Eventually, they had to break apart, if only to get air. Ayumi realized with a start that it was now dark outside, meaning they'd been here for a while. Her parents were probably worried sick about her, but she couldn't bring herself to feel bad, not when her heart was soaring so high._

_ "I, uh," Kishinuma began, looking a bit flustered, even with a smile on his face. "I think that's a good sign…"_

_ A blush crept up on Shinozaki's face, but she didn't bother to hide it. Her mind was racing a million miles an hour, thoughts becoming a blur in her head. That had been nothing like she thought it would be: it was a thousand times better. She'd had a crush on Mochida for what seemed like forever and she'd always thought it was love…but after _this_? Who was Mochida, again?_

_ "It seems like it," she whispered, her cheeks hot. "I mean, it wasn't _horrible_."_

_ "Hey!" Kishinuma exclaimed, causing Ayumi to laugh. When he realized she was joking, he let out a little nervous laugh. "Here," he said, getting to his feet and offering her his hand. When they were both standing, he added, "So…what does this mean?"_

_ Shinozaki took a deep breath, turning around so she could take a moment to think. She turned to look at him over her shoulder, a shy smile on her face. "Walk me home…and we'll find out."_

* * *

Ayumi came back to the present, looking around the room. A small giggle rose up out of her throat before she whispered to herself, "Well, I guess we found out."

The door to the room opened and Ayumi's father, Ayato, walked in. His face lit up as he took the sight of his daughter in and he breathed, "Ayumi…you're beautiful."

Ayumi stood up and slowly turned in a circle, showing off her dress. "Thank you."

Letting out a sigh and with tears in his eyes, Ayato said, "Darling, it's time. Are you ready?"

Ayumi took a deep breath and let it out, her nerves a mess. She turned to take one last look in the mirror: she wore a simple white wedding gown with a layer of white lace over it. The sleeves and deep neckline were both made of lace, flawlessly combining with the white slip underneath at her bust. Her blue hair was pulled up in a bun at the back of her head, the veil clipped on it. She wore simple pearl earrings and a necklace that matched.

She turned back to her father. "Yes, I'm ready."

Taking Ayato's arm, the pair made their way out into the hallway, where the wedding party had assembled. Deciding on a small wedding, Naomi and Yuka – Satoshi's little sister – were Ayumi's only bridesmaids. They both wore soft pink halter dresses that stopped at the knee and they both looked beautiful. Yuka had grown to be a mature, ravishing young woman and Ayumi was glad to have her as part of this important moment of her life.

Ayumi's heart began to beat harder and harder in her chest as she watched them slowly make their way through the double doors of the church. Pretty soon, it would be her turn to walk down that aisle.

_Am I really ready to start this chapter of my life? Am I making the right decision? _she thought, her hands breaking out in a sweat. The night when all of this started came back to her and she was once again taken in by a flashback.

* * *

**[Mirror - Justin Timberlake]**

_Ayumi giggled, her hands out in front of her to guide her way. "What are we doing, Kishinuma-kun? Where are you taking me?"_

_ Yoshiki's hands were on Shinozaki's shoulders, guiding her in the right direction. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, would it?" he laughed. "Just a second, we're almost there. Watch your step."_

_ Shinozaki took a large step, finding a stair in front of her. She wobbled a little as she brought her other foot up, but Yoshiki kept her on her feet. Just when she thought she couldn't take the secrecy any longer, he untied the blindfold and all the breath Ayumi'd held in her lungs escaped in a gasp._

_ They stood on a large wooden platform with no ceiling so they could see the stars. A table decorated with candles and wine – set for 2 – was set up in the middle of it, a band of waiters and waitresses standing at the ready. Ayumi turned over to Yoshiki, a giant smile on her face and she didn't have to say anything._

_ "I wanted nothing but the best tonight," he explained, holding out his hand to her. She silently took it and let him lead her to the table. "What to start off with?"_

_ They ate and talked and laughed all night, gazing at the stars and each other. Ayumi couldn't believe how much she still loved Kishinuma, even after eight years of being together. She realized as she sat at that table with him that she'd never had this kind of relationship with anyone else and her heart felt like it was swelling. She would do anything for the man that sat before her, her Yoshiki._

_ "So what's next?" Ayumi laughed before popping a chocolate in her mouth. They'd already had four courses plus candy, so she had no idea what to expect. "Do you have any more surprises in store for me?"_

_ Yoshiki gave her a warm smile, turning over to the waitress at his side. "Could you bring me the last course, please?" As the waitress ran off to get it, Ayumi gave Yoshiki a questioning stare and he answered, "You'll see."_

_ The waitress came back with only one covered dish in her hand, setting it in front of Ayumi, who looked at Kishinuma. "You're not going to have any?"_

_ "No," he shook his head, the smile still on his face. "I ordered this one specialty for you."_

_ Shinozaki smiled, wrapping her fingers around the lid's handle. She gave Kishinuma one last questioning smile before lifting the lid…_

_ She gasped, almost dropping the lid again. This wasn't any type of food dish – no, a black, unmarked jewelry box sat in the dish. Ayumi looked up at Kishinuma as a waitress took the lid from her hands. "What is this?"_

_ "Open it."_

_ Ayumi's hands shook as she slowly reached for the box, her heart hammering in her chest. She couldn't think as she wrapped her slender fingers around the box, its touch cold. Before she could open it, though, Yoshiki stood up, walking around to her._

_ "You know, the other day I had this…really crazy idea," he began, kneeling down next to where she sat in the chair. "I thought, 'Hey, it's our eighth anniversary. I should do something special.' So I got online and looked up what you exchanged on the eighth anniversary, but I could only find out what you exchange on _marriage _anniversaries."_

_ Kishinuma grabbed the back of Ayumi's chair, sliding it around so that she was facing him. He wrapped his fingers around her hand – the one that was holding the box – so that they both held the jewelry case. "So I thought about it and…well, if I could only find information on marriage anniversaries, I'd just have to fix that. So this year, you got…" He used his thumb to pop the top open. "…a ring."_

_ It was so beautiful that it took Ayumi's breath away. It was sterling silver, with eleven diamonds in it. One large diamond sat on the top, framed in silver, with five smaller diamonds on each side. It shone magnificently in the light._

_ "K-Kishinuma-kun…" she whispered, looking up to see him. "I don't know what to say."_

_ He brought his hand up to the back of his head, as he usually did when he was nervous. "Usually, in this type of situation, the woman says, 'yes'…"_

_ Ayumi jumped as it dawned on her. He wanted an answer to the obvious question, but Shinozaki was hesitant. Not because she didn't want to marry him, but because he hadn't actually _asked _her a question. Although she shook and her nerves were jumping left and right, a mischievous smile spread on her face as she asked, "Well, what would I be saying 'yes' to?"_

_ Yoshiki's eyes widened as he realized he'd have to say the words aloud. Although he'd practiced for what seemed like hours in front of a mirror, he could have never prepared himself for this moment. For a moment, he thought he would freeze, his body in a panic, but he quickly regained his composure. If he was sure about anything in the world, it was this._

_ He slowly reached out and took the box from Ayumi's hands, taking the ring out. As he reached for her left hand, he looked into her deep blue eyes and asked, "Shinozaki Ayumi, would you do me the honor of being my one and only for the rest of my life? Will you be my wife?"_

_ Tears sprung in Ayumi's eyes as she looked down at Kishinuma, seeing nothing but love sparkling in his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat, but she hardly noticed as she exclaimed, "Yes, yes, of course! I absolutely will!"_

_ Kishinuma slipped the ring on her finger before springing up, wrapping Ayumi in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck in return, bringing her lips down on his, a smile still on her face. She felt light as a cloud, as if she could fly off into the night sky at that very moment and dance with the stars. Before she could, though, Yoshiki pulled away._

_ He looked into her eyes and whispered, "I love you, Ayumi."_

_ "Oh and how I love you, my Yoshiki," she breathed in immediate response. "You're my one and only."_

* * *

"Darling?"

Ayumi was brought back to the present by the sound of her father's voice. She looked up to see that they were the only two left in the hallway; that everyone else had gone inside. That meant it was time. She made her back straighten out, standing straight up to look confident on the outside. On the inside, though, there was a giant lump in her throat, her mouth was incredibly dry, and her heart felt like it would explode at any minute.

"Okay," she whispered, taking her bouquet from her father. "I'm ready."

Ayato smiled at her, stroking the side of her face. "Take a deep breath, sweetheart. Everything is going to be perfect."

Tears pooled in Ayumi's eyes as her father quickly hugged her. "Thank you, father. I love you."

He pulled back to look at her face, quickly wiping her tears away. "Don't think that just because I'm giving you away, I'm going to stop loving you. I will always love you, but it's time for you to start a new chapter in your life, with a new man." Ayumi let a nervous giggle out, causing her father's smile to widen. "That's right, dry those tears up. This is a wonderful occasion."

Ayumi nodded, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Okay. I'm ready."

Ayato let her take his right arm again as he braced his left hand against the door, ready to open it. With one last look at Ayumi, Ayato prepared himself to give away his daughter as he opened the door.

* * *

Yoshiki stood at the end of the aisle, in front and to the left of the minister who would conduct the ceremony. Every one of his nerve endings felt as if they were on fire, he was so nervous. There weren't many people here, but the few who were happened to be the closest people in his life. He and Shinozaki had agreed on a small ceremony, with only immediate family and those they considered family, even if it wasn't by blood.

Naomi and Yuka were Shinozaki's bridesmaids and Satoshi was Yoshiki's best man – the only man he needed there. The five of them knew they'd always be a part of each other's lives; they were the only people in the world who knew what it was like to escape from Heavenly Host, how to deal with the pain. It only made sense that they would consist of the wedding party.

Speaking of the wedding party, they were all at the altar, all except for the bride, his Ayumi. She was supposed to have come in with her father once Yuka made it to the end of the aisle, but she still hadn't surfaced.

Kishinuma turned back to Satoshi, whispering, "Where is she?"

Mochida gave him a smile. "She'll be here. Just give her a moment. This is a big deal for girls."

"It's a big deal to me, too!" Yoshiki exclaimed, gaining an odd stare from Shinozaki's mother, who sat in the front pew. As he shot her an awkward smile, the door at the back of the room opened and in stepped the love of his life.

Ayumi was so beautiful in her dress that Yoshiki could do nothing but stare. _How in the hell did I get so lucky? _he wondered. Her eyes were lit up, as if a million tiny stars danced in them. At that moment, all of his nerves disappeared and a calm came over him. Everything about this moment felt right…

* * *

**[A Thousand Years - Christina Perri]**

_One step closer…_

As Yoshiki finally came into Ayumi's view, all of her doubt disappeared. The look on his face told her everything she needed to know: he loved her.

_One step closer…_

In fact, as she made her way toward him, she began to see everything in a whole new light. There was nothing to be afraid of. Kishinuma was hers and she was his, and that was all that mattered. This ceremony didn't really matter, either. They'd belonged to each other for a very long time now.

_One step closer…_

She was only a few feet from him now and every cell in her body urged her forward. She'd never wanted anything in her life so badly than to be with him.

Her last few steps passed by in a blur as she gazed upon Yoshiki, staring into his gray eyes. He took her hands as she finally reached him and she latched on tightly to him. It felt as if her very existence depended upon him and maybe it did.

Ayumi didn't even realize that the minister had been speaking until he addressed Kishinuma, who pulled a scrap of paper out of his pocket, holding it in his hands as he looked into Ayumi's eyes. "Ayumi, I thought long and hard about what I was going to say when we got up here, but no matter how I put it, words just aren't enough."

He looked down at the paper in his hands, which was mostly concealed to Ayumi. She wondered what it was – it looked a little too small for notes – but it didn't keep her attention for long. Yoshiki began speaking again. "I know that some of the people in this room won't understand, but most of us do and…" He turned toward the three people in the pews – his sister and Ayumi's parents. "Well, you'll just have to understand that this means…well, everything."

Kishinuma turned back to look at Ayumi, holding his hand out, the scrap of paper balancing delicately in the middle of his palm. With a gasp, Ayumi realized what it was: it wasn't just any scrap of paper – it was _the _scrap of paper, the one he'd ripped from their charm so long ago. Where had he been keeping this?

And Ayumi wasn't the only one who was surprised. She heard Yuka and Naomi gasp behind her, saw Satoshi's eyes go wide as he realized what it was. They all understood what was happening.

"Ayumi, you know what this is…" It didn't sound like a question, but Ayumi nodded anyway. "Then you know what it means. And I'm giving it to you."

_His life… _Ayumi thought, looking at the scrap of paper. _He's giving me his life._

"Oh, Yoshiki…" she breathed, taking the paper out of his hand. She looked up into his eyes. "I will _always _keep this safe." He smiled down at her, nothing but love in his expression. And then it was her turn. Clearing her throat, Ayumi looked to the ground before she began, "Kishinuma-kun… I don't know how to say this, really, but you read my mind."

Ayumi reached up to the back of her head, pulling the scrap of paper she'd hid in her bun out. Her hands shook as she held it out to him. As soon as he saw it, his eyes lit up and they had a silent conversation. _It was meant to be…_

Ayumi turned toward the others in the room, holding the paper up. "I once made a promise with this scrap of paper, a long time ago, and the results…were less than ideal." She watched as every one of her friends grimaced, the four other people in the room looking confused. "But, in a strange way, that broken promise led me to something wonderful." She turned back to look at Yoshiki. "It led me to you. So, with this scrap of paper, I make a new promise…"

She turned to look at each one of her friends. "One that I can't screw up." Sad smiles and laughs filled the room. "I promise to remain by your side, to keep you with me even when we're apart, and to knock some sense into you when you need it." Everyone laughed, including Yoshiki. "And I give you this as a symbol of my promise."

Kishinuma took the paper from Ayumi's hands, placing a kiss on it before placing it in his pocket. They took each other's hands and listened as the minister continued with the ceremony, asking each of them if they would be each other's forever, something they didn't even need asked.

Once they'd said yes, he instructed them to seal their promise with a kiss.

When their lips met, a million memories ran through Ayumi's mind. She saw the faces of her fallen comrades: Mrs. Yui, Mayu, Seiko, Sakutaro. But for the first time in a long time, their faces weren't dragged down with sorrow; instead, they were all smiling. She knew that, even though she was starting a new chapter of her life, she would be bringing them with her, in her heart. They were, after all, a part of the promise, a part of the paper scrap and her life.

Which she now began as Kishinuma Ayumi.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this short little story! :) Especially the birthday girl, Dewi-Michelle!**

**Thank you for reading and leave a review if you'd like :D**


End file.
